Dinnerly Reviews: Easy Weeknight Dinners

Considering trying a Meal Delivery Service?

With the popularity of meal delivery services where the uncooked ingredients are delivered to your door, or popular apps like Grub Hub where any hot meal is at your finger tips, or the ease of ordering your groceries online and picking them up or having them delivered via Instacart  (Get $10 use PROMO CODE - LLANGSTON191) or the store itself, the decision of which delivery service to use is a difficult one. Are some meal delivery services better or less expensive than others? We think so. If you've been considering a meal delivery service, read on for our Dinnerly review.

Get $10 toward Instacart with PROMO CODE:  LLANGSTON 191

Since before Covid hit and made it popular, we've been experimenting with different ways to avoid going to the grocery store. All meal delivery services are not created equally. However, most of them have similar pros and cons, beware of leaving a cart empty in your weekly delivery service website. If you pick an option that automatically adds a certain item when it is in season or as it becomes available, your cart will fill up, and you'll reach the minimum order without ever visiting the site. Next thing you know, you've got 10 avocados, a pumpkin pie, and Impossible Burger sitting on your porch and an unexpected charge to your account. So, if you need to skip a delivery, be sure to use the pause delivery feature.

Get $15 of Free Groceries with Walmart Delivery.

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Try a Quick Meal option from Amazon

Easy Chicken Enchiladas from Dinnerly.

See all the steps needed to create these delicious, fresh chicken enchiladas from Dinnerly in the slide show below.

The recipe cards comes via email or are available in your Dinnerly account. A paper version would be nice to have also, but Dinnerly is less expensive than other meal delivery services so this is a way they reduce the cost. Of course, if you have a printer, you can always print them.

We suggest you review the recipes before you set out to cook your easy weeknight dinner. Sometimes the most important steps are missing. For example, the recipe above doesn't tell you how or when to cook the chicken, it assumes you've already done that step! This may be because sometimes the chicken comes precooked. At any rate, an inexperienced cook might think the chicken will cook properly in the oven. We've noticed some other steps missing in our Dinnerly cooking instructions, just use common sense when cooking.

The great thing about these cooking instructions is that once you get the hang of following these recipes, they will teach you valuable culinary skills. After awhile, you'll be creating your own delectable dishes from scratch. If you want to try a Dinnerly Meal Kit for your own easy week night dinner, leave a comment and we'll share a link for a free box. Each link is only good for one use. You can review Dinnerly for yourself and see what your family thinks. Enjoy!

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Can the Stress of Being a Mom Cause Hair Loss?

How Mom Stress Can Cause Hair Loss

What can cause hair loss in women? With all of the traveling and adventuring, it is easy to become stressed from time to time, especially when you also take into account the challenges of everyday life and work. Although a little stress is normal when you have a family, if you are beginning to feel as if your stress is endless, you must find ways to manage it, as stress can lead to physical symptoms, including hair loss.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

In the photo above, I have inexpensive hair extensions for a Halloween costume party. I thought it was obvious, but my friends actually thought I went to the salon and got real extensions. My actual hair is shoulder length. Pretty good color match, don't you think? Though, I don't have a problem with hair loss or thinning, I did notice a lot of hair extra hair in the shower drain after recovering from Covid 19.

What causes stress?

You may begin to experience stress due to changes coming up in your life, even if these changes are fun ones like going on vacation or moving into your dream house. You might also start to feel stressed if you feel pressured, whether this is to be a good mom or to meet all of your work deadlines. Some women feel stressed if they do not take enough time off work, or if they are worried about something, such as a new baby or their lack of finances. 

How does stress cause hair loss?

As well as having an emotional impact on you and causing mental health issues, stress can also create a physical reaction in your body. It should also be noted that hormonal changes such as perimenopause and menopause can cause hair thinning and loss in women. When you are stressed, your hair follicles might stay in the resting phase of their cycle rather than fluctuating between resting and growing. If this persists for too long, they might then begin to fall out regardless of what you do to your hair. This can make you even more stressed as you begin to feel self-conscious about your appearance.

Should you get a hair transplant?

Although your hair will usually start to regrow once your stress levels have lessened, if you do find that you are struggling with hair loss to a great extent, you should consider the benefits of a hair transplant from a hair clinic near me. They will be able to restore your hair to its prime and allow you to disguise any bald patches that have formed on your head. With a hair transplant, there;s need for Halloween hair extensions. This can help you to meet your hair goals and to feel like yourself again, boosting your confidence, and enabling you to focus on your family. Although there are many different treatments for hair loss, hair transplants are nearly permanent and can make a dramatic difference that will allow you to start living your life to the fullest instantly. You won't have to hide inside your house in fear that others will notice your hair loss.

How can you reduce stress?

If you want to reduce the stress that you've been experiencing, make sure that you exercise often and get out into nature to enjoy the benefits of sunshine, that you drink and eat enough healthy choices, and that you try to reduce the triggers of your stress.

Take some time off to recenter yourself and perform self-care activities during which you can focus on yourself rather than the rest of the family. If your stress has reached unmanageable levels, consider scheduling an appointment with a therapist, where you can talk through the problems you are facing and process the emotions that you are experiencing. Sometimes, it's as simple as throwing on some silly hair extensions and attending a costume party! Whatever you choose, be sure to keep your stress levels at a minimum. Seek help if the stress feels overwhelming.

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How To Take Care Of Your Entire Family This Winter

Flu and Cold Season is on the Way

The beginning of the school year, can signal the beginning of colds and flu in your home. When the weather becomes cooler and the days grow shorter, health may become a significant concern. Coughs, colds, and even the flu, as well as more severe diseases, can suddenly become considerably more common. It's essential to understand some of the ways you can help your whole family stay healthy during winter so you can enjoy the time you spend together while everyone is safe and sound. The following tip will help you take care of your family during winter months of cold and flu season.

Tips for staying healthy during cold and flu season

Eat Healthily 

Our bodies are amazing machines that convert what we put into them in the form of food and drink into energy and hormones that do everything for us. We are happier and healthier when we eat the proper meals. A bad diet means our immune systems don't work as well as they should, and sometimes shut down altogether, so eating correctly to get enough vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies strong and ready to fight off the numerous illnesses that attack us, particularly during the winter months, is crucial. Try this recipe for baked salmon.

Adopt Healthy Lifestyle as a Family

Fruits and vegetables are the simplest methods to get these nutrients, so getting your five a day is critical. If it's a challenge to include more fruits and vegetables into your diet, try preparing a nutritious morning smoothie for everyone.  Here's a fun way to get kids to eat potassium rich bananas.

Keep Clean 

The simple act of washing your hands can help to keep everyone in the home healthy, and not just the individual who did the hand-washing. The initial point of contact between you and a virus or illness is usually your hands. Giving a loved one a hug, shaking hands, holding hands, and so on can spread diseases from one person to the next. By ensuring that everyone washes their hands frequently (particularly after using the bathroom, changing a diaper, and wiping your or a child's nose), you can minimize the chance of unpleasant diseases spreading. If washing your hands causes dry skin (as it may during the winter months), then invest in some excellent hand lotion as well to keep the momentum going. 

This "how to wash your hands" interactive printable lesson is great for the classroom or homeschool, it explains the importance of hand washing in detail and makes it fun.

Check The Animals 

If you have pets, you might discover that they are prone to sickness during the winter months as well. They, too, have immune systems, and although they don't function exactly like ours, that doesn't mean they can't become sick. It is important to take your pet to a great vet, such as exceptionalpets.com, if you suspect they are ill. In this way, you can keep your pet healthy, and everyone else in the family since some animal illnesses can spread to humans.  Our pets can even catch Covid19, so if you're sick, watch them for symptoms. Our bird, a Cockatiel, was very sick when we had Covid, luckily he recovered with some TLC.

Exercise

Getting adequate exercise is another brilliant way to strengthen the immune system. This could be as easy as taking your dog for a walk or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Park a bit further away from the supermarket's entrance, so you'll have to walk a little longer. Spend some time cleaning up the leaves in the garden. It doesn't have to be an exercise class or an hour at the gym, and the more people that participate, the better.  We've got some fun PE Activities to get you moving,check them out!

Free Educational Games and Videos for Kids

Online Educational Games and Videos

We've all seen those kids with their faces glued to the tablet in their lap. What are they doing? Generally, they're watching some silly and possibly inappropriate video on YouTube. Even if it's just a cartoon, kids' time could be better spent doing something educational. Playing an online educational game, a game that sharpens hand eye coordination, or watching educational videos, keeps kids entertained while they're learning. If you or your kids enjoy learning online, read on for some fun, free ways to add to your classroom curriculum.

Math and English educational games tend to be the most fun when it comes to educational online gaming, These games are more fast paced, but there are also history, science, and foreign language games too. I prefer to watch educational videos to learn about history and science but you can pair educational videos with online games for a lesson students will enjoy.

Our favorite history videos  are from the  Crash Course in U.S. History series on YouTube. Now, they offer Crash Course Science videos too.  Below, I've shared a few science videos that I think your students will enjoy. 

Educational Science Videos From Crash Course

What's a Species?

 

Organic Chemistry

 

Here are 10 more educational videos for teens

Plays.org is a site full of all kinds of games. You don't have to load apps on your phone or tablet and take up extra space. All of these games are played right in your browser, just add it to your favorites for easy access.

To navigate this free gaming site, scroll down to the bottom page footer where you'll find all of the categories of their free online game collection. As you scroll through the alphabetical list, you'll see the education tab.

Here are my picks for fun educational games from plays.org. 

Defense Math

This site has detailed instructions and tips on game play. Here's a sample description:

Defense Math starts out easy, but gets more difficult as you play. This is a fast and challenging addition, subtraction, multiplication and division math solving game for kids and students. Players must answer an infinite amount of questions to send projectiles to the enemy horde. Players must prevent them from reaching their defense tower. Get the highest score you can get. 

Freaky Math is a fast paced game that works like flash cards. I think this game is great for all ages and it's a great game to play to keep your brain sharp.  You'll be surprised how long it takes to solve some of the problems. Think fast!

Younger children will enjoy this grocery store cashier game from plays.org. The items come across the conveyor belt and you add them all  together, press total and choose the correct amount of cash to pay.

If you need worksheets and other printable curriculum to pair with these free online educational games videos, check out my store on TeachersPayTeachers.

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Physics Games from Plays.org

More Free Educational Online Games from Adventures of Kids Creative Chaos

Inspiring Kids to be More Creative can Boost Self Esteem

 Different Ways to Inspire Creativity in Your Child 

As a parent, it's often challenging to see your child struggling, especially with their creative endeavors. It's essential to inspire children to explore their passions and interests. For young girls, especially, it can be difficult not to get pulled along by peers and lose sight of personal interests and passions. One way to help all kids find their voice and unique passion is to inspire their creative flow with lots of creative activities. Encourage your boys and girls to try something outside of their comfort zone!

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links for your convenience.

School plays are a creative outlet that builds self-confidence
 and life long friendships.

If you follow along on this blog, you know that kids being creative is our lifeblood. Kids Creative Chaos is not only our name, but our mantra. Creativity is often a chaotic event, but it needs to take place! Never choose a clean house over letting a child explore their creativity. Squelching creativity can have unwanted outcomes. Empower your kids to be themselves, explore their creativity, and improve their self-esteem in the process! And never, never, fall into the old stereotypes of labeling activities for boys or for girls. Without even knowing it, you can be killing a child's self-worth and dreams. As we always say, let them try, try try!

Inspiring creativity is a challenging tasks for most parents. Kids often choose not to do something simply because their parents have suggested it. Other times, they may feel insecure about trying something new. Try to encourage different creative pursuits as an outlet for self-esteem, fellowship, and mental health. Here are a few simple ways on how to cultivate your child’s creativity. 

Mayhem in a school band production.

Introduce kids to different types of crafts

Introducing your child to different ways to be creative allows their mind to develop away from the rigid confines of the creativity taught in many schools. It shows children the art of critical thinking and developing passions beyond the ordinary. Ask your child what interests them, but also give them options and ideas to inspire their creative and critical thinking.

If you wonder what this might look like, consider introducing your kids to different expressions of art that inspire creativity. For example, listen to music with them, discuss musical instruments and let them try one. Many cities have musical petting zoos or other opportunities to test an instrument.

Activities for Creative Expression

Jake in an adaptation of Brother's Grimm.

You can also show your kids different forms of creative expression with painting and other arts and crafts. Allow them to play and explore. The earlier kids start experimenting with creativity, the better chance it will have an affect on their emotional stability and self-esteem. So, be sure to take your kids to museums, the theater, and to music concerts to inspire their senses and allow them to engage in all sorts of artistic pursuits. If you want to learn more about that, here's an article from Berkeley on why the arts matter.

On a side note, always remember to read with your children and encourage critical discussion on the book and its themes. A child with a curious mind will find it easier to access their personal creativity. 

Surrealist Art Activity for Elementary Children

Give Kids creative gifts

Giving a child and exciting gift that isn't clothes or a video game, might inspire them to think creatively or get actively moving and making art. If you're struggling for ideas for your daughter, there are many gifts for girls to choose from that don't need to sit within the confines of gendered stereotypes. For example, you could buy her a zine-making kit. Firstly, making things helps kids to be more creative, but secondly, creating their own magazine can encourage kids to use their voice for good. Zines are a great way for children of all ages and genders to write and be creative. Click here for gift ideas that are targeting boys but can work for either gender. My daughter always hated to be excluded from toy cars, trains, and Transformers and my son loves to use hot pink as an accent color for sunglasses, hats, or other accessories. He gets a kick out of people giving him a hard time. Self-confidence at work!

Books about the Arts for Kids

Allow kids to explore 

Finally, one of the most important ways to inspire creativity within your child is to allow them to explore on their own. For a child, exploring comes in many shapes and forms, from creative play to fashion. If you want your child to develop a unique identity and a sense of themselves, they have to learn what they like and don't like.

See how we encouraged our daughter to dress however she pleased.

Kids have to try out activities and get things wrong. Making mistakes is an excellent way for a child to learn, and this can also be applied to their creative endeavors. So, give your kids some paint or a dress-up box and encourage them to explore. Then, stay engaged in their exploration and find out more about what they are doing and why, but never force it- being an over zealous parent can backfire. Play it cool, and watch your kids have fun with the skills you helped to create.

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How to Help Protect Your Teen From Mental Health Disorders

Keeping Teens Safe

From their very first days, your mission as a parent has been to keep your children safe from harm. This involves taking proactive steps to ensure their safety and make sure they grow to understand the potential for negative consequences to their actions. It's so hard to know how to help protect your teen from mental health disorders. Protecting your children from harm is a lifelong job.

Like many parents, you likely sought to accomplish this goal by teaching them good eating habits and how totake care of themselves physically. However, the mental challenges that children face, particularly when they

transition into their teenage years, might not have been on your radar quite as much.

It can be difficult for parents to understand the mental struggles that teenagers face in this day and age. Today, teens face a great deal of pressure to live up to a certain archetype and work hard to set themselves up for future success. That being said, from a mental and physical standpoint, teenagers are still developing, leaving them to face such pressures before they even really know who they are or what they want to do with their lives.

As a parent, the best thing that you can do for your teen is take a proactive stance on mental health. With mental health conditions on the rise in young people, and more and more teenagers turning to self-harm and even suicide, it is important for parents to step in and help teens to navigate the burden of this stage of their lives. If you're the parent of a teen, here are a few ways you can seek to protect your teens from developing a mental health condition.

Educate Yourself

First and foremost, the best thing you can do to help your teen avoid developing a mental health condition is

to educate yourself. Learning about the prevalent mental health conditions in teenagers and how to detect

early signs that an issue might be at play can go a long way to stopping the progression of a mental health

condition before things get out of hand.

It's also a good idea to learn about the treatment options available to teens who struggle with mental health disorders. Resources on specific conditions like anorexia and bulimia can be found at edentreatment.com Acquiring information from your family care physician can help you to learn more about the internal struggles that your teen might be facing.

Create a Positive Environment

With busy work and school weekdays, it can be difficult to make time for meaningful conversationsand time together as a family. However, one of the things parents can do to help teens avoid mental health

issues is to work to create a positive and safe environment. Checking in with your teen and leaving the door open for communication is key. Promote a positive sense of self and provide your teen with positive affirmation which can help combat outside pressures to change or act in a certain way that may not align with their personal ethics and morals. Positivity and a happy home life go a long way in helping children cope during the teen years.

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Helping Your Kids Stay Fit and Healthy

 Get Started with these Quick Parenting Tips Today

All parents want their children to be happy and healthy, but it's often difficult to encourage our kids to follow a healthy lifestyle, especially if they have grown used to sweet treats and like to spend a lot of their time in front of their screens. If you’re a parent who is concerned about their child’s health, or would just like a few useful tips to keep in mind, below are a some simple suggestions on how you can help your children stay fit and healthy. You know how to do it, getting started is the hard part. So, here's your motivation.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links for your convenience.

Diet

A good place to start is looking at your children’s diet and whether or not there need to be some changes here. You don’t have to feed your kid all organic food to make sure they maintain a good diet, and obviously, not all households can afford the more expensive products. If you want to make sure your kids are eating well, make sure they get plenty of fruits and vegetables and lots of good carbohydrates. 

Strawberry Raspberry Smoothie Recipe

If your kids are fussy eaters, think of creative ways to get them to eat a variety of foods, like making them a healthy smoothie or soup so the veggies and fruits are hidden from view. Also consider taking time to cook meals with your children so they can start to learn this important life skill and about nutrition and what constitutes a healthy diet. We've started ordering dinnerly, an economical food delivery service. Teenagers can cook their own gourmet meals or easy weeknight dinners, you choose the recipes each week.

After School Snack Planning Ideas Printable

Exercise

Sticking to a good exercise routine, can be difficult. Kids are no different. The best way to encourage your kids (and yourself) to get moving is by finding a sport or activity that they truly enjoy. By making exercise fun, kids are more likely to engage and exercise regularly, especially if their friends are involved. Get the family out and moving together on weekends, whether it’s going for hikes or playing Frisbee together in the park.

Outdoor Play Ideas

Oral Hygiene

As well as making sure they’re eating right and getting their hearts pumping, also watch out for your children's oral health. A lot of kids don’t like having to brush their teeth before bed, particularly if they’re already tired and cranky. However, this is an essential routine they need to get into early to avoid problems with their gums and tooth decay, which can be very painful and unpleasant. Make sure your kids brush their teeth twice a day, and be sure to teach them how to floss. If they hate toothpaste, have them brush with water to get the food out and then do an oral rinse.

Is Chewing Gum good for your Teeth?

Mental Health

Physical health is important, but your child’s mental well-being is also crucial to help them stay physically healthy. This isn't always as easy to see, but the best way you can help is by creating an environment at home where your child feels comfortable talking with you about their feelings and problems. If you discover concerning behaviors, ask your kids' teachers if they've noticed anything at school. The pandemic has been rough on everyone, but especially our kids.Make sure you're paying attention, any changes in behavior might be a cry for help. Kids are struggling with depression from being forced to stay inside.

Mental Health articles from Adventures of Kids Creative Chaos

Raising kids is the most challenging thing anyone can do. Keeping your kids fit and healthy is an important part of parenting. Hopefully, these tips will help you find new, creative ways to keep your kids happy and healthy. Be sure to click on the titles between the paragraphs above, for more detailed information on each topic.

As always, thanks for reading. You matter.

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